“The President is actively and willfully endangering the life of a member of Congress,” MSNBC’s Chris Hayes tweeted in reaction to President Donald Trump’s taking to Twitter on Friday and posting a video mix of Representative Ilhan Omar (D-MN) referencing 9/11 alongside graphic video of the burning World Trade Center towers.
The President is actively and willfully endangering the life of a member of Congress.
— Chris Hayes (@chrislhayes) April 12, 2019
WE WILL NEVER FORGET! pic.twitter.com/VxrGFRFeJM
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 12, 2019
Trump captioned the Islamophobic tweet in all caps, writing, “WE WILL NEVER FORGET,” in reference to what some see as controversial comments made by the congresswoman last month in a video that has since gone viral.
Democratic presidential candidates pushed back by calling out the president out on Twitter:
“Ilhan Omar is a leader with strength and courage. She won’t back down to Trump’s racism and hate, and neither will we. The disgusting and dangerous attacks against her must end.”
– Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT)
Ilhan Omar is a leader with strength and courage. She won't back down to Trump's racism and hate, and neither will we. The disgusting and dangerous attacks against her must end.
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) April 13, 2019
“The President is inciting violence against a sitting Congresswoman—and an entire group of Americans based on their religion. It’s disgusting. It’s shameful. And any elected leader who refuses to condemn it shares responsibility for it.”
– Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)
The President is inciting violence against a sitting Congresswoman—and an entire group of Americans based on their religion. It's disgusting. It's shameful. And any elected leader who refuses to condemn it shares responsibility for it.
— Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) April 13, 2019
“We are stronger than this president’s hatred and Islamophobia. Do not let him drive us apart or make us afraid.”
– Former congressman Beto O’Rourke.
We are stronger than this president’s hatred and Islamophobia. Do not let him drive us apart or make us afraid.
— Beto O'Rourke (@BetoORourke) April 13, 2019
“Someone has already been charged with a serious threat on Congresswoman Omar’s life. The video the President chose to send out today will only incite more hate. You can disagree with her words—as I have done before—but this video is wrong. Enough.”
– Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN).
Someone has already been charged with a serious threat on Congresswoman Omar’s life. The video the President chose to send out today will only incite more hate. You can disagree with her words—as I have done before—but this video is wrong. Enough.
— Amy Klobuchar (@amyklobuchar) April 13, 2019
It is clear that this president is all about appealing only to his angry-about-everything base. But acting like a Reddit troll from the bully pulpit is dangerous. Trump knows this, and does not care.
